I love eggs and a lot of my quick-fix dinner recipes revolve around them. I have such comforting memories from when I lived in Brazil and the locals would serve a late dinner of black beans and rice with a fried egg on top. It seemed like a strange combination to me at first, but since then I’ve come to absolutely love eggs with things other than the traditional breakfast combos. So this is my take (emphasizing the word my) on the classic Latin dish, Huevos Rancheros. I’ve purposely kept this recipe amazingly flavorful, while at the same time keeping the calorie count low. It’s a great light meal, whether you whip it up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and with a good mix of both protein and carbs, it’s quite filling as well.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Pan salsa – This is a quick homemade salsa that cooks up on the stovetop. You’ll be amazed at how flavorful this is, with just a few simple ingredients.
- olive oil
- fresh onion
- fresh garlic
- jalapeño – This adds a nice kick, but isn’t too spicy. If you really don’t want any spice, you could use some canned green chilies instead.
- cumin
- salt and pepper
- canned fire-roasted tomatoes – You can always use plain canned tomatoes, but the fire-roasted variety adds a great smoky flavor.
- Small tortillas – I like La Tortilla Factory White Corn, which is actually a blend of corn and wheat. Use whatever tortillas you like, or Make Your Own Tortillas.
- Refried beans – Whatever variety you like.
- Eggs – You’ll need Fried Eggs or Poached Eggs. You can make Poached and Fried Eggs in the Oven as well. That recipe is hands off and makes it easy to do 6 at a time!
- Feta cheese – Cotija or queso fresco would also work, I just always have feta around and I like the tang it adds. Pepper jack or cheddar would be great as well.
- Additional toppings – As desired. It doesn’t need anything else, but it is delicious with a squirt of lime and some avocados as well!
How to Make Huevos Rancheros
- We’re going to start by mixing up a quick pan salsa. Finely mince some onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Mince small so they cook quickly. Sauté those ingredients for a few minutes, then sprinkle in some cumin, salt, and pepper, and a can of fire-roasted canned tomatoes, juices and all. Let that simmer for a few minutes and it’s ready to use.
- Next you’ll warm up a can of refried beans.
- Warm your tortillas in a hot pan.
- Cook your eggs (you can do Poached Eggs, Fried Eggs, or Make Them in the Oven, which is great for feeding multiple people at once).
- To assemble, Just spread the beans on tortillas and top with an egg. After that, spoon the salsa mixture over the top and sprinkle with a little chopped cilantro and a little feta. You don’t need to try and wrap it up like a burrito, just eat it with a knife and fork.
Storing and Other Tips
- This meal is best eaten fresh. If you have leftover ingredients, store them separately in the fridge until ready to use again. For ingredients like the salsa and opened refried beans, they are best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
- Planning ahead? Make your salsa and store in the fridge, or even the freezer, so you always have some on hand!
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but they definitely give this meal some staying power. You could always sprinkle a few black beans over the top instead, or skip the beans completely.
Definitely. Use corn or almond flour tortillas if you need to avoid gluten. For dairy-free, simply leave off the cheese or use your favorite dairy-free cheese substitute. Double check your tortilla ingredients just in case, but most tortillas are dairy-free already.
Sure, but if you have the time, I highly recommend trying out the pan salsa!
Huevos Rancheros
Ingredients
Pan Salsa
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ cup finely minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
- 1 jalapeno seeds and membranes removed, finely minced (click here for how to)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- 4-6 cracks black pepper
- 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
Huevos Rancheros Assembly
- 6 small tortillas I like La Tortilla Factory White Corn
- 16 ounce can refried beans heated according to directions on can
- 6 eggs fried, baked, or poached
- 6 tablespoons feta cheese
- chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnish and serving
- avocado sliced or diced, optional
Instructions
Pan Salsa
- Heat a medium sized skillet to medium heat. When hot, add olive oil and then onion, garlic and jalapeno. Sauté, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes. Add cumin, salt and pepper and stir. Add tomatoes (including juices) and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir while simmering for about 5 minutes, using a spatula to scrape bottom of pan to release browned vegetables. Set salsa mixture aside.
Huevos Rancheros Assembly
- Heat a clean non-stick skillet and spray with non-stick spray. Heat tortillas one at a time until bubbly and golden brown. Spread about 1/4 cup beans on each tortilla and top with a fried egg. Spoon about 1/4 cup salsa over the top and sprinkle with cilantro and feta. Serve with lime wedges if desired. Serves 6.
Notes
- This meal is best eaten fresh. If you have leftover ingredients, store them separately in the fridge until ready to use again. For ingredients like the salsa and opened refried beans, they are best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
- Planning ahead? Make your salsa and store in the fridge, or even the freezer, so you always have some on hand!
Questions & Reviews
From a born and raised New Mexican the only REAL way to eat huevos rancheros is to smother them with loads of hot, fresh roasted green chile and cheese. Mmmm… But these do look very delicious and fresh for sure. I will be trying them.
I can’t wait to try this, though I may have to tone it down a bit for my kids. It was great to see you guys at TOFW you are amazing and inspiring! I’m still laughing at my husbands stink eye when I told him I was going to buy your latest book. Oh well, I will have to be patient until Christmas.
This looks super yummy AND easy (both of which I love)! Might have to put this on next weeks menu! 🙂
I got your cookbook this weekend and my girl crush on the two of you is cemented in yumminess. My boyfriend can’t wait until I start making some of your recipes, he has kindly sticky tagged (almost) every recipe in your book marking the ones of upmost urgency in brigh pink! Thank you both so much for providing this wonderful site and for now publishing your cookbooks!!!!
Congrats on your book success! And these eggs are exactly how I like t eat them…yum!!
Perfect timing, thank you for planning my dinner tonight! I hope it works with bottled salsa anise I am short on the ingredients for yours. Love your blog and cookbook…looking forward to buying the new one! Would love to come to a signing but I’m all the way in Michigan!
That was *since, not anise 🙂
Your fried eggs are so pretty! Mine never look that good. I would like that how to post.
Just have to say I LOVE BOTH your cookbooks and you guys were great at the Denver TOFW!!! I was sad I missed you at the end. I wanted you to sign my book. WAAAAA! But that is what I get for waiting… 🙂 I bet it’s nice to be home!
Oh, I’m sorry we missed you! We almost never leave early, but I had to jet out to catch a flight and Kate had to go take care of her sweet little baby. Boo!
We love huevos-rancheros as a special brunch. We like to scramble our eggs, we do add fresh sliced avocado, cook bacon (no nitrates) crumbled, sprinkled Weight Watchers Mexican Low Fat cheese (shredded). Ours is not as low calorie as your healthy version but it is a brunch. We usually serve this with fresh fruit i.e., strawberries.
I am so making this for dinner tonight. Thank you thank you for a fun option to pull me out of my cooking rut.